[abb]

More wailing, moaning, baying and puking....

[i.l.e.]

These figures are drawn from a new study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism describing what it calls a "seismic transformation" in the media landscape

There they go - not with a bang but a whimper!

[ClearCase_guy]

But they don't NEED fact-gatherers!

The DNC will fax the facts to them and save them the trouble.

[BluH2o]

More wailing, moaning, baying and puking....

You forgot 'gnashing of teeth'.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

I wonder how much "fact gathering" ever got done. The Woodward -Bernstein myth of the "intrepid reporter" may have been mostly that, a myth. In reality reporters are used by various and sundry actors - you want to get your version of the story out - you call your friendly reporter - so it's not wearing out shoe leather pounding the pavement - it's answering the phone.

[The_Victor]

Hundreds of cable and radio commentators, and millions of bloggers, can sound off about the news in real time. But the number of old-fashioned fact-gatherers is dwindling,

Howard has his cause and effect backwards. The lack of "old fashioned fact gathering" reporters is the the cause of the explosion of the alternative media.

[Steve_Seattle]

"But the number of old-fashioned fact-gatherers is dwindling, and will almost certainly continue to shrink."

On the contrary, thanks to the Internet, there are now more fact-gatherers than ever. But Kurtz is partially, inadvertently right - the bloggers have arisen because the MSM is not doing its job, and acts according to its own biases rather than the facts.

[Dilbert56]

In the future we may just see two tiers of reporting. There will be people who are actually on the scene - providing the basic facts, like Sky News, and then everyone else on an equal footing. You can read the raw facts or, if you'd like, find an author that adds insight you appreciate. The gatekeepers will be gone. If people don't have network news shows telling them what brand of shirt Amber Frey wore today they will be better off.

Perhaps the RSS Reader will dominate and people will be able to take it with them in an IPOD-like thing or even, heaven forbid, a printout.

[sionnsar]

picking and choosing from sources he trusts

Unlike the local rag, The King County Journal, which has almost reached the point where I unsubscribe forever.

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

But the number of old-fashioned fact-gatherers is dwindling, and will almost certainly continue to shrink.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

..outstanding fact gathering Mapes...I'll get this on the air immediately.......by the way...who is Lucy Rameriz